'HEARTBREAKING': Natalie Annis and boyfriend Mark Davies are appealing for the return of two stolen laptops

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Treasured photographs of a hero soldier killed in Afghanistan have been stolen in a house burglary.

The irreplaceable pictures of Simon Annis were stored on two laptops taken from his sister Natalie’s home in Salford. The images show Simon at family parties, birthdays and Christmases.

Simon – who served with the 2nd Battalion, the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers – died in a bomb blast as he tried to rescue a stricken comrade in Helmand Province in August, 2009.

He was 22 years-old and on his first tour of duty in Afghanistan.

Natalie and her boyfriend Mark Davies were left devastated when burglars struck overnight as they slept, breaking through patio windows to raid their house in Cadishead.

No copies of the photos exist and Natalie appealed to whoever has the laptops to hand them in to police.

Natalie, 22, a customer advisor, said: “These are personal pictures of Simon that we can’t get back. Whoever has taken them has disregarded my brother’s memory.

“We woke up in the morning to discover the break-in. The laptops were hidden so they must have had a good search around. We haven’t backed the laptops up and we are devastated.

“We are only bothered about the images and really want them back. It is heartbreaking as the images are cherished. They are cherished memories of my brother that I have kept since he died. There are also personal images of Mark’s family.

“Whoever has taken them must have seen all the photographs of Simon in the house. They cannot be replaced.

“We just want them back and I would appeal to stores to please keep your eyes out. They should be handed to the police.”

Both laptops are black. One, which contains the images of Simon, is a Toshiba C660. The other is a Samsung R51O model.

Among the most treasured images are those of Simon on a diving exhibition with comrades to mark his 21st birthday while stationed in Belize.

Natalie added: “The police have taken fingerprints and we just hope that someone hears our appeal and helps.”

Simon and Fusilier Louis Carter, 18, were running to help Lance Corporal James Fullarton, 24, after he was caught and injured in an explosion as he crossed a river.

But as they lifted him on to a stretcher they triggered a second device, causing an explosion which killed all three soldiers. An inquest later ruled that they were unlawfully killed.

Simon joined the battalion, which is due to be closed under government cuts to the Army, in 2009. His mother Ann Annis is backing a huge campaign by the M.E.N. calling for a re-think.